If you have not been to a Spacetaker event or a Winter Street Studios open house, you are missing an opportunity to be exposed to a variety of different art mediums, styles and experiences. A melange of upcoming, established, and well-known creative personalities, critiques and leaders strolled through the various studios and exhibition spaces, all while listening to a loud band play cover tunes. The chips and salsa were a definite bonus.I ran into Carrie Schneider. I met Carrie somewhere between here and there and somewhere else (we are both puzzled as to how we know each other), and connected at a Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston essay discussion group. The essay was extremely academic, and soon we were off topic discussing the dilemma of art institution outreach programs, marketing, and development departments. At what point do we try to add interactivity and interconnectivity just to please foundations, corporations, government entities and donors looking to affect the most change as well as to gain the most visibility? And, does this mean selling out in favor of creating a profile that looks good to those that have the money.
Carrie caught my attention with two pieces. One of them happened to be me. YES, I WAS ART. How? She placed a mirror, a dry erase marker, had people go to town, and of course, the reflection of you and those around you became a part of the work. Interactivity and interconnectivity were essential to the success of the aesthetic experience. Process and product were equally important.
I sent an email to my mother with this picture with a quote. Look Mom, I am ART. She is an artist also.
